Ayers apparent: Steelers rookie optimistic about career jump from practice squad after regular-season contributions
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Think Demarcus Ayers is satisfied with a mere division title? Guess again.
The Steelers rookie wide receiver was strolling around the team鈥檚 locker room Wednesday morning sporting a black and gold t-shirt with the word 鈥渃hampions鈥� emblazoned on the back. That would be as in 鈥�2016 Stanley Cup champions.鈥�
Obviously, Ayers has other goals in mind for himself and the Steelers, but the Texan seems to be feeling right at home in Pittsburgh. In his brief time on the 53-man roster, Ayers has become a bit of a celebrity and, apparently, his mother has too.
During his breakout performance in last week鈥檚 regular-season finale against Cleveland, a game in which the Steelers sat out Antonio Brown among others, Ayers contributed five receptions for 44 yards and the first touchdown of his career. That, a week after drawing a key pass interference penalty against Baltimore and pulling in a 9-yard grab during the frantic final drive of the Steelers鈥� division-clinching win.
Ayers鈥� father was in town for the Ravens game on Christmas, while his mother was at Heinz Field to watch Demarcus play the Browns, her first NFL game. Wearing gear that made it obvious she was the receiver鈥檚 mother, Bernice Edwards, a former track and field star in Greenville, Texas, even snapped some pictures with fans.
鈥淪aw some people tweeted me and said 鈥榊our mom is awesome,'鈥� said Ayers. 鈥淪he has Instagram. It was exciting to see my mom. I hadn鈥檛 seen here since July, so it was really huge. I just wanted to go out there and play for her and let her enjoy her time.鈥�
When the Steelers host the Miami Dolphins this Sunday in their AFC wild-card game, Ayers鈥� time likely will be limited, or at least not what it was against Cleveland. Ayers played 16 snaps vs. Baltimore and 66 against Cleveland but, again, that was without Brown and Sammie Coates dressing but not playing.
Against the Dolphins, the Steelers will have an interesting decision to make if they dress five receivers as they typically do. The receiving corps, decimated by injury for much of the season, is as healthy or as close to it as it鈥檚 likely to get.
They have Brown, Eli Rogers, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Cobi Hamilton, Coates and Ayers.
It鈥檚 not exactly the 鈥渂est wide receiver corps in the NFL鈥� that the Steelers envisioned in Latrobe, but it has been effective enough to win seven straight games and earn the No. 3 seed in the AFC. At first glance, Ayers would seem the odd-man out, but Coates has been effectively relegated to special teams since breaking two fingers in early October. The Steelers would love to re-establish Coates as a taller, vertical threat, but whether due to the fingers or a lack of confidence, it鈥檚 questionable whether he can be the receiver that averaged 83 yards per game and 20.7 per reception in Weeks 1-5.
That could leave a door open for Ayers.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what the plan is for me in the playoffs, but I know if I bring the same energy I brought to the Ravens game and (the Browns) game, I feel like there鈥檚 a role for me on this team,鈥� Ayers said. 鈥淭he last game, and playing in that environment, woke me up.
鈥淚 think I made a career jump, and that sparked my career the way I want it be going.鈥�
It has been a remarkable 23 days for a 22-year-old who spent the first 13 weeks of the season on the practice squad after getting beat out for the fifth receiver spot by Rogers in training camp. Before drawing that defensive pass interference on Ravens rookie corner Tavon Young, Ayers was best known for mimicking Odell Beckham Jr. on the scout team in practicing leading up to the Steelers鈥� win over the New York Giants.
Ayers was the Steelers鈥� seventh-round pick last spring out of the University of Houston where in three seasons he carved a niche as a return specialist, something he has yet to do in the NFL. Had it not been for a broken hand suffered before the combine, limiting what he could do in the 40, Ayers says he was projected to go in the third to fifth round.
Like Ayers, Hamilton was called up from the practice squad in mid-season and has made the most of his opportunity. Hamilton says everyone in the receiver鈥檚 room had no doubt Ayers could do the same.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been fun watching him, we all knew he could play,鈥� Hamilton said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 just a complete athlete. He can play.鈥�
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Rogers and Ayers, two slightly undersized receivers/returners, are of a similar mold: 鈥淭hey look a lot like Antonio, but most of them don鈥檛 end up being Antonio. Demarcus Ayers is the latest example of who resembles that.鈥� It wasn鈥檛 a knock on the youngsters as much as it was praise for the two-time All-Pro.
Not coincidentally, Ayers patterns himself after Brown, another late round pick, who has transformed himself into arguably the best receiver in the game. Against Cleveland, when Ayers had a drop and failed to tip-toe his feet in-bounds on another catch, it was Brown who was mentoring and motivating him on the sideline.
鈥淚 have a long career ahead of me, just being patient and being humble about it and learning from (Brown) every single day,鈥� Ayers said. 鈥淥nce I learn to how get his work ethic, I think I can do similar things he鈥檚 done in this league.鈥�